Self-locking rudder bar



Ag.1s,19z5; 1,550,616

R. KAUCH ET AL lSELF LOCKING RUDDER BAR Filed May 11, 1923 f Patented Aug. 18, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

UNITED *sTATEs ROBERT xAUoH AND CHARLES SELF-LOCKINGrv Application yflied May 11,

nection with airplanes or like machines wherein the main controlling member used for the operation of the vertical rudder is V'arranged to be actuated with the aid of a rudder bar bythe pilots feet. f

The object of this invention is -to provide a.V rudder bar whichwi'll 'provide means for locking the Vrudder in a fixed *position in order that the rudder,thus set in properV position to counteractv propeller torque `and cross winds willbe a lmeans for maintaining correct Hight of the aircraft without the aid of constant appliance-by -the pilotV of his feet on the rudder bar-to' keep the 'rudder inthe Adesired posit`ion.=` l Y v Vith theiforegoing and lother objects vin view, which will appear'as the description proceeds, the invention consists inthe come bination ofparts and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understoodfthat various changes inthe pre-r cise embodiment hereinafter describedgmayv be made withoutY departing from'the spirit of the invention illustrated in thefattached drawings in which: Y

Figure lisa front elevation, partly in section of one-half ofthe rudder bar, showing lthe manner in whichfit-is mounted and also the locking attachments. Y `Y Y Figure 2 isa top plan view of one-'half of the rudder bar assembly.A Y

Figure 3 is an end view in elevation of the locking pedal of the rudder bar, showino' an adjusted position in dotted lines.

igure 4 is a diagrammatical view of the cam actuating against the movable friction clutch plates, the lobes ofthe cam being in such a position'as to force the plates in opposite direction and thus release them from their frictional engagement with the stationary plate on the rudder bar.

Figure 5 is a view of the same parts as Figure 4, showing, however, the cam in such a position as to allow the movable clutch plates to be closer together and thus fric- L. PAULUS, orr DAYTON, OHIO.

RUDDER Brin.l

1923. Serial No. 638,297.

' vtionally engage the stationary plate on` the rudder bar. v y

Referring more particularly to the drawings it will be seen that a rudder bar 1 is of conventional design and so mountedv as to rotate' on afulcrum stud 2, which is mounted on a suitable base 3, the base 3 beingapproximately cylindrical in form and having mounted on its upper surface, by use ofrivets 4, a fixed plate r5.

A lower friction clutchk plate -6 and an upper late 7 are provided `with lugs 6' and 7 to facilitate the mounting of a spring 9 which is maintained in position on a stud 'lar bearing members 16 to be mounted on Cams the yshaft 8 andkeyed thereto'bypins 16. Y

ShaftY 8 is further supported. byzbearing members 17 and 2Q, the shaft being mount` ed' free tov rotate. therein, the bearing 17 'being,maintained in place by means of the bolts18.--` l Y. 4

v- Figure 3 shows, in dotted lines, the normal position assumed as soon as pressureL is removed from the pedal 14. Itwill be. ob-

Served that the 30 degrees vmoveinentiis Y Ylimited by stops 22. t

i Figure Y5 vshows in detail the kcam 13' as it is .normally carriedwith the rudder bar in locked position, while. Figure 4fshows the cam `rotated through an arc of 30 .degrees This rotation spreads the surfaces of the upper and lower friction clutch plates,

- 7 and', and thereby releases themfrom frictional engagement with the stationary plate 5. While only one side of the rudder bar n is shown in the drawings it will be under- Y stood that the 'other side is identical in design and operation. Thus as theshaft 8 extends throughout the entire length of the rudder bar, pressure on either foot pedal 14 will'release the rudder bar for normalv operation. y

Referring again to Figure 2, it will lbe noted that the spring stud 10 is mounted off center to permit the full extension of the shaft 8. Any tendency to rotate the movable friction clutch plates 6 and 7 about the axis of the shaft 8 is prevented as one spring assembly is mounted on one side of shaft 8 and the other spring assembly on the opposite side of the rudder bar is mounted on the other side .of the shaft 8.

The bracket 19 is shoivn merely to designate a means for attaching the rudder bar to a cable 20. This cable in turn extends to the conventional vertical rudder control surface in the usual manner.

Having thus described `onr invention we claim l. In a controlling device for aircraft, the combination of a main controlling member, a pair of actuating ped-als m'ovably connected to said member and through the medium of Which said member is moved, a retaining member and clutch members operatively `connected to said pedals and arranged to cooperate with the retaining member, of each of said 'clutch members being released by relative movement of its respective pedals with respect to the controlling member incident to the actuation vof said pedal and the controlling member, each of said `clutch members consisting of an upper and loiver movable friction clutch plate adapted to frictionally engage said retaining member on either side thereof accordingly.

2. In a controlling device for aircraft, the combination fof a main controlling member, a `pair `of actuating pedals movably connected to said member and through the medium of which said member is moved, a retaining member, and clutch members operatively connected to said pedal-s and arranged to cooperate with the retaining` member, each of saidclutches consisting of an upper and lower movable friction clutch plate adapted to normally frictionally engage said retained 'to said member and through the medium 'of which `'said member is moved, ya retaining member, and clutch members operatively connected to said pedals and arranged to cooperate With the retaining member, each of said clutch members consisting of an upper and lower movable friction clutch plate adapted to normally 'frictionally engage said retaining member on either side thereof accordingly, means operated by said pedals for disengaging said clutch members from said retaining member, said last named means consisting of double lobed cams Varranged between said' clutch plates and mounted kon a rotary shaft operated by said pedals, and stop means for limiting the movement of sai-d pedals.

4. Ina controlling 4device for aircraft, the ycombination of a main controlling member, a pair of actuating pedals movably connected to said member andthrough the medium of which said rmember is moved, a retaining member, and clutch :members operatively connected to said pedals rand yarranged to normally non-positively engage said .retaining member and prevent rotation thereof, each of said chi-tch `members being released by relative movement Iof said pedals With respect to the controlling ,member incident .to 'fthe actuation of said pedals and the controlling member, said pedals being mounted on a shaft, :cams :mounted on :said shaft and adapted to actuate vsai-d clutches upon the simultaneous actuation of said pedals and rotation lof said shaft.`

In a controlling Ydevice for aircraft, a rudder bar, a retaining member, clutch 4faces for enga-gement with the retaining member, said 4clutch faces each provided with an eX- tension and means between said extensions for controlli-ng the .mov-ement of said clutch faces relative to said retaining member.

'6. In la controlling device for aircraft, a rudder bar, a retaining mem-ber, clutch faces for engagement with 'said retainingmember, said clutch .faces each having extensions thereon, cams positioned .between -saidextensions and Zmeans for actuating said fcams to control the movement fof said clutch faces Vrelative to said retaining member.

In testimony whereof We affix four-signanonnn'r .Kanon ennemis L. Pannes. 

